Page 17 - AHATA

Tuesday 23 sepTember 2025 locAl
A10

Alto Vista chapel and its link to Aruba’s origins

ORANJESTAD – According the yard two graves can
to Etnia Nativa, in the be observed, there was
18th century most of the the cemetery which
inhabitants of Aruba were father Pablo de Algemesi
indigenous who lived on blessed. It is not certain,
the north coast, one of the but it is believed that
largest communities lived the two graves belong
in Alto Vista. to Antonio Silvester and
Miguel Alvares, according
As they were very religious, to Nooyen. About 50
they had a chief with the meters near the chapel
name of Antonio Silvester there are still the markings
who guided them in the of an old house, where
Christian life and it was he Antonio and Bernardino
who decided to build a Silvester would have lived.
stone chapel with a roof About 200 meters from the
of corn rods, which would chapel there is a water
serve as a place of prayer. tank which the locals call
In 1750 it was blessed by Tanki Cacique. In the past
Father Algamesi who came this tank was closed. But
from Coro-Venezuela Aruba from Venezuela. The the most infected, they of work they found the old mostly water was brought
and appointed Domingo elders believe Antonio was began to build their homes foundations of the Church out from the Poz di Noord,
Antonio Silvester as the a Spaniard. In 1780, father further south within the of the Queen of the Holiest a well dug in the sand.
island’s first prosecutor in Joseph Antonio de la Vegal Noord area, so the town of Rosary to build a new
the name of the Spanish called Bernardino Silvester, Noord began to grow into chapel on the same place. The chapel can be viewed
crown and Rome. In 1752 one of Antonio’s sons with a community till getting The entire surrounding area from basically any point in
the prosecution passed his wife Anna Cathalina its own Church. However was empty and desolated, the north side, even from
into the hands of Antonio Tromp, “neighbors and religious festivals continued making it hard to imagine Paradera and Sero Plat.
Silvester’s son-in-law, Miguel naturals of the island to be celebrated at this that Alto Vista was a town All the historical remains
Álvarez, who continued to Aruba” and thus they sacred native place, with at all. A hundred years around the chapel provide
guide the parishioners in became natives. the custom of arriving in later, people can see the us with an idea on how the
their prayers. procession to Alto Vista. remains of around twenty old people of Alto Vista
At the end of the eighteen houses, some made of used to live. Don’t miss the
According to the book, century many inhabitants Two-hundred years after the stone and others of clay. opportunity to visit a place
The History of Alto Vista the island died as a result of beautiful time of Alto Vista, Nowadays, only around six of historical significance
by R.H. Nooyen, it is not the black fever epidemic people can no longer see of these houses remain. with a window to Aruba’s
known when Domingo and since people believed much of the town of Alto past.
Antonio Silvester came to that the Alto Vista area was Vista from 1750. With a lot South of the chapel in

Ever heard of the cah’i orgel? A key instrument in Aruban folklore

music

(Oranjestad)— The cah’i or- simeto. Back in Curacao, contains a cylinder with a
gel music box is an impor- he started his own cah’i maximum of eight music
tant and unique instrument orgel business along with pieces. By rotating the lever
that is used on the ABC is- his brother Luis. In Aruba, it on the front side of the box,
lands in the Dutch Carib- is said that the cah’i orgel the cah’i orgel produces
bean. This instrument is a was introduced by Rufo music similar to that of a pi-
staple in our folklore music, Wever, who later in his ca- ano, and is accompanied
and its significance in the reer became one of the often by someone else
traditions of Aruba has and composers for the Aruban playing the “wiri”, a percus-
continues to bring together national anthem. sion instrument made out
the old and young. of steel and reminiscent
Rufo Wever was a young to the Spanish guiro. Back
The origin of the cah’i or- musician in 1937 when he then, you would often also
gel is said to have come established his own cah’i find someone playing the
from Europe around 150 orgel business on the island. triangle alongside the cah’i
years ago. A cross breed Before that he experiment- orgel and wiri. In Aruba, the
between the barrel piano ed with his uncle’s cah’i or- cah’i orgel and wiri is used
and the organ, the most gel, and he over the years for traditional music genres,
popular stories said that the he learned to build and re- such as the Aruban waltz,
instrument came from ei- pair the instrument. In fact, tumba, mazurka and more.
ther England or Germany, he was incredibly skilled in
but made its way to Italy this, and he was one of the Fun fact: another name for
down to Venezuela, where few to have recognized the cah’i orgel is the “tin-
in 1881, Mr. Horatio Sprock from the start that the cah’i gilingi box.”
(1866-1949) from Curacao orgel is an instrument that
was first introduced to it. needs preserving. Source: “E Cilinder Magico
After that, Sprock made his entre Aruba y Curaçao” by
own cah’i orgel “Josefina”, As mentioned, the cah’i Marilyn Alcalá-Wallé, Herta
and successfully debuted orgel is a music box. made Parabirsing-Balentina and
it on the streets of Barqui- from mahogany wood, it Nidia Rosaria-Wallé.